State Superintendent Ryan Walters issued a mandate Sunday requiring all Oklahoma public schools pay for free cafeteria meals for every student without any additional funding.
The mandate calls to prioritize student nutrition using existing state and federal funds, with Walters claiming school districts should cut back on administrator salaries.
The mandate states school districts are required to submit their budgets to the Oklahoma State Board of Education for review as soon as possible. If a district’s budget cannot cover the cost of meals for all students, the department will suggest cost-cutting measures and request the budget be resubmitted…